Spectroscopic Investigation of Iron Substitution in EuCoO3: Related Impact on the Catalytic Properties in the High-Temperature N2O Decomposition

Abstract

This study is dedicated to a combined spectroscopic approach for investigating bulk versus surface reconstructions that originated during high-temperature catalytic applications on EuCo1–xFexO3 and to their related impact on the catalytic properties. By way of illustration, the decomposition of nitrous oxide (N2O) has been selected as a case study achieved in complex feed gas composition in the presence of NOx and water vapor, which can speed up surface and bulk modifications at 900 °C with related impact on the reactivity of N-containing species. Particular attention was paid to the appearance of Co2+ species in different stages of the preparation, especially after reaction. While XPS cannot discriminate the nature of those species without any ambiguity, the combination of Mössbauer and photoluminescence spectroscopy can help in understanding changes in the local environment of europium, iron, and cobalt. The impact of those surface changes on the kinetic parameters of the decomposition of N2O has been examined.